"Uber is a tricky issue," Novick said. "I think it’s worth having a broader conversation about how we actually regulate the taxi cab business overall—and maybe come up with a whole new structure in which, if they’re willing, Uber can operate."

But he isn't making Uber any promises. "We impose regulations on a taxi business," Novick said. "Uber says, 'We want to act like one but we don’t want to be subject to any of those regulations.'"